Windies start and finish well on opening day in Sharjah
West Indies enjoyed success with the ball at the beginning and end of the opening day of the third Test in Sharjah to boost their hopes of avoiding a series whitewash at the hands of Pakistan.
The Windies have suffered a miserable tour of the United Arab Emirates, failing to record a victory over Pakistan in any format.
However, after being invited to field in the final Test, Jason Holder’s men claimed two wickets in the opening over through Shannon Gabriel.
Sami Aslam (74), Younis Khan (51), Misbah-ul-Haq (53) and Sarfraz Ahmed (51) all registered half-centuries thereafter to lift Pakistan into a promising position.
However, a flurry of late wickets saw Misbah’s side slump from 230-4 to 255-8, leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo picking up 4-74 as Gabriel finished the day with figures of 3-58.
Gabriel’s initial efforts resulted in Azhar Ali – whose scores in this series read 302*, 2, 0, 79, 0 – and Asad Shafiq being dismissed for ducks.
Azhar edged an outswinging delivery to second slip, before a successful review from the Windies saw Shafiq adjudged lbw to one that nipped back.
A century stand between opener Aslam and Younis got Pakistan back on track, although the veteran was fortunate to survive two let-offs in the 22nd over, when he was dropped at midwicket and survived a missed stumping off Roston Chase.
Younis did fall to Chase in the afternoon, courtesy of a top-edge to midwicket, but West Indies were left furious when a review of a rejected lbw appeal against Misbah, on six, went in favour of Pakistan’s captain with the tourists convinced they had their man.
Aslam had appeared increasingly fluent as the day progressed, but failed to kick on to his maiden Test hundred, instead falling to Bishoo courtesy of a misjudged reverse sweep in the first over after tea.
Pakistan rebuilt again as Misbah and Sarfraz shared 80, the latter typically aggressive.
Yet the Windies finished the day superbly, Bishoo striking twice in quick succession to have Misbah caught behind, following another reverse sweep, and Mohammad Nawaz stumped for six.
The pacy Gabriel then got in on the act again by cleaning up Sarfraz and there was still time for Bishoo to claim a fourth scalp, Wahab Riaz falling lbw shortly before bad light forced a premature close.
